Should Co-Workers with Kids be able to get away with more?

[Merin]

Originally posted by Monday

That is fine. You CHOSE to have kids, so you CHOSE to have to stay home with them once in a while. Just because I CHOSE not to have kids doesn't mean that I should have to fight to get to go home, while these parents get to freely run home if their kid sneezes!

 

In my opinion. Maybe people who chose to have kids should be awarded extra benifits...I don't see how that's fair though

 

Whoa...

 

I don't run home because my Kid has a snot bubble coming out of her nose...

If she is throwing up, she has a high temp or something like that.. then yeah I've got to pick her up at school.. usually if I already know she's too sick to go to school then I take her with my baby to My Moms (Daycare)

 

I know of people as well who go home to take care of a sick SO... so it's not just peeps with Kids...

While I'm sure there are people who take advantage of thier situation saying "My Kid is sick" so they can get out of work... I don't think the number is as high as people think.

 

When or IF I have to be with my little peeps because they really are sick.. trust me it isn't a free day off and I don't get paid for the time to be with my Kiddo's.. AND the work will still be there when I get back for me...

[tiki]

Jobs can wait. Lives cannot.

 

I know some people do take advantage of the situation, or run silly errands here and there, with no end in sight. Some, not all.

 

I don't run home because my Kid has a snot bubble coming out of her nose...

 

I laugh because I can see it! Gotta love kids.

[blind_otter]

Originally posted by Monday

That is fine. You CHOSE to have kids, so you CHOSE to have to stay home with them once in a while. Just because I CHOSE not to have kids doesn't mean that I should have to fight to get to go home, while these parents get to freely run home if their kid sneezes!

 

In my opinion. Maybe people who chose to have kids should be awarded extra benifits...I don't see how that's fair though

 

 

You can't be serious. So you can CHOSE to leave your kids at home alone when they are sick? Wow, I think the department of children and families would have a thing or two to say, and would probably put parents under investigation for leaving their kids at home unattended.

 

Children under a certain age are not capable of caring for themselves. Period.

 

Life isn't fair, never was, never will be.

[FolderWife]

Sorry I got so anal about it guys This is just such a touchy subject for me. I get stuck filling in for other people (Mainly the receptionist) who's kids have dentist appointments one day, then doctors appointments the next day, then get a cold the next day, then forget their uniform the next day, then have a football game the next day...

 

And while I'm filling in for her, my job is upstairs not getting done. Then when my job isn't done, my boss jumps my arse about it

 

And I get SO ANNOYED that I'm here WORKING while she's out playing soccor mom, yet I get in trouble because my job isn't done, because I'm so busy doing hers

 

I didn't mean to be such a biotch about it. I love you guys, and I don't fault you for leaving early to pick up your kids when they're sick

 

Ooh, it just made me so mad today when I told my boss I wasn't coming in next Friday because my mom asked me to come down early, and she got all anal about it NO ONE FILLS IN FOR ME! But the receptionist, who's 16 year old son is in football leaves early for every game

[FolderWife]

Originally posted by blind_otter

 

You can't be serious.

 

What do you mean I can't be serious

[tiki]

Originally posted by Monday

Sorry I got so anal about it guys This is just such a touchy subject for me. I get stuck filling in for other people (Mainly the receptionist) who's kids have dentist appointments one day, then doctors appointments the next day, then get a cold the next day, then forget their uniform the next day, then have a football game the next day...

 

And while I'm filling in for her, my job is upstairs not getting done. Then when my job isn't done, my boss jumps my arse about it

 

And I get SO ANNOYED that I'm here WORKING while she's out playing soccor mom, yet I get in trouble because my job isn't done, because I'm so busy doing hers

 

I didn't mean to be such a biotch about it. I love you guys, and I don't fault you for leaving early to pick up your kids when they're sick

 

Ooh, it just made me so mad today when I told my boss I wasn't coming in next Friday because my mom asked me to come down early, and she got all anal about it NO ONE FILLS IN FOR ME! But the receptionist, who's 16 year old son is in football leaves early for every game

 

Yeah...your situation is definitely not a cool one to be in! I'd be pissed too. Explain to your boss that every time she leaves, it puts you in a bind. Other than that, sadly enough, that's about all you can do. And people will continue to abuse this again and again and again. When (and if) I leave (which is uber rare), there's no one here that has to do my job. That'd be nice tho!

[blind_otter]

Originally posted by Monday

What do you mean I can't be serious

 

I seriously didn't think you could have an opinion like that in seriousness. I don't have kids, but I don't think my co-workers with kids run home to wipe a snotty nose. The secretary I work closest with stayed home 2 weeks with bronchitis and her son had pneumonia. I didn't think it was a big deal.

 

Actually I'm constantly fielding questions and stuff for other people in the staff here and I don't care, I assume they are home for a reason, I am always home from work with good reason. I dunno. I assumed a little more compassion, maybe?

[brashgal]

You can't really make generalizations, some employees with kids are very conscientious, some single childless employees are not. And vice versa.

 

Monday - sounds like you need a new job. They are so used to treating you like you have no life that it probably isn't going to change. They see they can bully you and you'll take up the slack. Sucks but it's human nature (or human nature for lousy bosses anyway).

[FolderWife]

lol

 

Ugh! I got so angry the other day. My boss came to me and he was upset because "The receptionist doesn't feel comfortable asking you to fill in for her". I felt like screaming, "GOOD!!! SHE SHOULDN'T!!! I WOULDN'T FEEL 'COMFORTABLE' ASKING SOMEONE TO FILL IN FOR ME EITHER!!!!"

 

ARG!

 

Then when I got pissed, and said, "I never said anything to her, what did she say to you??" he said, "She didn't say anything...she just doesn't feel comfortable asking you to fill in." He said that she said she doesn't feel comfortable asking me to fill in...then he turns around and says she didn't say anything

 

UGH!

 

ya know what...it's none of my business if someone choses to have kids, and then has to leave when they get sick or whatever...but people who have kids and leave early every other day and it interferes with MY job, that ticks me off. And then when I want ONE DAY, I get flack!

 

UGH UGH UGH!!! I don't ask to go to a football game every other day....let me off once

[Mz. Pixie]

Actually, there are surveys that say that companies who have employees with families who allow those people to take off with their children get more out of those employees by allowing these benefits.

 

Companies are in big competition to recruit the best workers that they can, giving people the option of a little flexibility when needed is a big perk! Most companies also give their people a few personal days to take as they like. That's another perk of working for a corporation rather than a small company.

 

I'm a supervisor. When I have people out underneath me I have to cover their jobs. Sometimes it can happen alot. But that is part of being a team! So, when I need to leave early or take a longer lunch or be out with a sick kiddo I do it. I've earned it. I'm salary and I also don't get paid overtime when I work extra. So, if I offset all that overtime with leaving early one day big deal.

 

I also RARELY take off when I'm ill myself. I come to work as long as I'm not going to make someone else ill- ie, the flu or vomiting. I come to work after I've sat up all night with a sick kid too- if I'm lucky enough to have someone to watch it the next day. I don't take smoke breaks or breaks of any kind either.

 

I have more respect for someone who takes off for their kids being ill than someone who takes off every time they have a little sniffle or cramps for goodness sake!

[bicyclejunk]

Jobs can wait. Lives cannot.

 

 

I agree with this. And that's not what I or MONDAY is saying really.

 

What were saying is....Why should having kids mean you get to have

more excuse to get away from work when you need to. What makes a

child different from a mom or a sister or a younger brother in my job's old

secretary's case...She was going thru a tough times. for about 3 weeks she needed

an hour here and there to be late, so she could take her younger 14 yr old

brother, sick with cancer, to his appointments, and they gave her s*** for it.

"Can't your mom or dad take him?" they said. Due to the fact that it wasn't her CHILD, it was

a problem, yet my co-worker can come in late for 2 years straight, everyday

because he has kids and needs to spend quality time with them?? Were off at night

AND on the weekends. That isn't enough time?

 

My Co-Worker has 3 kids, his wife is a stay at home mom. So he's not single,

they are raising them togther and he gets paid very very well here. They have

a super nice house and the kids are well taken care of, almost spoiled in a way,

but they are great kids.

 

BUT, why should i have to take on MORE work just because my Co-Worker wants

to spend more time with his kids in the morning. It's not always just 8:30 sometimes it's

8:40-8:45 somedays.

 

This guy at work just gets so many freebies because he has kids. I love kids. I want

children of my own someday. I've changed many dirty diapers in my lifetime and helped raise my sister.

I know what it's like. It's damn tough.

But with children of my own, i'd never take advantage and walk around thinking

i was Owed special treament Just because I have kids. I chose to have that Child with

my wife. I'd still accept my responsibilities and show up to work on time. It doesn't

mean I value my job more than my family. It just means I have a family and i have a job to do

to provide for my family. I wouldn't think i deserved a medal, just for having a child.

[MWC_LifeBeginsAt40]

When I was with my husband, I'd make him stay home. He could work from home and get paid for it. I didn't. Also, with my elite sporting events, I can't afford to get sick. So, my priorities are whacked, that's why I'm now single.

[bicyclejunk]

Just a quick Note***

 

 

I'm here at work, my buddy came in at 8:45am...i've been answering calls

all morning and taking up the slack. It's been busy.

The big boss is out today and he knew this...

 

Also, he's been yapping on the phone about home improvement and house payments

with some gal at another company for the last 20 minutes while i've been

working away. He hasn't done a thing since he's been here, just jumped on the

phone and started shootin the s***.

 

THIS is what pisses me off about the whole thing. Because later on, he'll be complaining that

he has no time to get anything done, when the phones are ringing off the hook. Then i'll

be expected to be his back up. Ugh

 

anyway, back to work.

[Mz. Pixie]

Take it up with the boss if it's bothering you.

 

Just a tip here- most of the time they don't want to hear what someone else is doing and getting away with.

 

From what I can tell, he compensates for the time by taking a shorter lunch or working later. The boss may not have a problem with it if he's working all his hours.

[morrigan]

I work with two older women. Their children are all adults, but one of my co-workers has her elderly mom living with her and has had to leave work at times to take her mom to doctor's appointments. I have no problems if someone calls in or has to leave early due to a child's/parent's illness or a doctor's appointment. And, from my mom's experience, a lot of single parents work their a$$es off, and don't have anyone else to depend on. My sister was 10, I was 7, we stayed by ourselves when my mom had to work a night shift.

 

I think that this guy's chronic lateness stems back to the boss's attitude about it. You don't have employees who come in continuously late when they have a boss who believes in across the board rules for employees. Or, if they keep coming in late, they're made to make up the time or eventually get their butt canned. If they're late for crappy reasons, and the boss knows and doesn't seem to care, you're either going to have to put up with it or look for better employment.

[bicyclejunk]

looking for better work, let me tell ya.

 

And although i guess it's just bothering me because

i hate my job, I was just also curious as to why it seemed

having children changes things.

 

I've experienced it at other jobs, people with kids, always asking

to be excused.

 

In my case here, you're right. The boss doesn't care. They did sort of know each other

before he even worked here, so i guess they must have worked out some sort of

agreement. It just confuses me because, sometimes the boss will commend me in saying,

"I'm really glad that you are always here on time to pick up the calls and hold down the

fort til, Jim gets here, not sure what that boy's deal is"...

 

It all boils down to me finding something else. Because if i have to wait for that nerd to come in

late, yap on the phone to customers about meaningless stuff, whine and complain that there's so

much work to do(..when he's ready to work..), and pick up even More slack due to the 2 or 3 times

a day his wife calls him, to put his 3 year old daughter on the phone because she's behaving badly,

for another month or two, I'm going to SNAP!